Earlier today, I posted my review of the 3-quart covered saute pan with helper handle that I had a chance to use for the last few months. That pan is normally $80 (on sale) to $100 (regular price) by itself. This ten piece set is normally $300 and can be a great value if you need more than one additional pot or pan (for someone just starting out or someone who needs to replace more than one piece of cookware).

This set comes with six pots as well as four lids:

3-quart saute pan with lid

1.25-quart saucepan with lid

2.5-quart saucepan with lid

6.5-quart stockpot with lid

8-inch french skillet

10.5-inch french skillet

The saute pan I reviewed is not one of the ones included in this set, but the 3.5-quart saute pan is very similar with two major differences: it is 1/2 quart larger and does not have the helper loop handle.

This time I'm running the giveaway for two weeks (ending on December 24, 2012) and would appreciate any help in spreading the word!

I'll run the giveaway similarly to the Thermapen giveaway from last week but change the comment from "your favorite article on CFE" to "what's your favorite pot and why?". Here are the rules for this contest:

You need to be in the United States to qualify for this giveaway. (Sorry, world! Feel free to participate in the comments if you wish, but leave a note that you aren't entering if you can't or don't want to win.)

Join Cooking For Engineers (through the forums) and post a comment to this article with what your favorite pot or pan is and why (what do you like about it or what do you like to cook with it). I need you to join so, if you win, I'll have an email address to contact you with to get your mailing info so Anolon / Meyer Corporation can send you the cookware. I won't have contact information for guest/anonymous posts so I can't include your entry unless you are logged in. (If you are an existing member, be sure to double check your email address on file to make sure it's accurate.)

On December 24, 2012, I'll post a comment signifying the end of the contest. All entries (where I have contact info) above my comment will be eligible to win. (I don't know what time I'll be making the post, so it's best just to enter early.)

I'll number the participants and generate a random number which will determine the winner and post the winner as well as contact them via email. If there is no response within 72 hours of my email, then I'll probably pick another number and winner (and so on).

It takes a couple weeks for Anolon / Meyer to ship the cookware, so the winner should receive it sometime in January 2013.

In the past, a small subset of readers have had difficulty getting the user registration confirmation code to work properly. If you've tried three times and it's still not working (and you properly incremented each letter or number) then simply send me an email at cooking@cookingforengineers.com letting me know the confirmation code isn't working for you. In the email include the username you wish to have and I'll set it up for you.

My very favorite pan? A 10 inch cast iron skillet with an interior bottom that is machined flat. Why? First, it was my mother's skillet, and her mother's before that. So it's a family heirloom and that alone makes it dear to my heart. But skip all that and the reason that this old skillet with a thick and crinkly crust of carbon around the outside that has built up over at lest sixty years of use is because it cooks great! I can sear with it at the highest temps. I can fry an egg in it and have what amounts to non-stick performance. I can saute. I can put in an inch of oil and make the best fried chicken you ever ate.

My old cast iron skillet isn't elegant and it isn't fancy. But it has the history of prior generations dating back to the 1940's and my grandmother coming home from the mill to put it to use to feed her family. And now I use it to feed my family.

It's a great piece of cookware, and if I could have only a single piece of cookware in my kitchen, this would be it.

I have a form-versus-function dilemma when it comes to my favorite cooking pan. My very old Cousances enamelled cast iron braiser is so beautiful that it's permanently stored right on the stovetop, where I can constantly admire it. But in truth, the pot I reach for virtually every day is a 3-quart stainless steel chef's pan made by Cuisinart. Its balance in my hand is perfect, its shallow bottom and wide top facilitate reduction, and its gently sloped sides are ideal for quick meals of sauteed or stir-fried ingredients. And it cost about 1/10th of what the Cousances beauty queen did.

I have a large soup pot from Calphalon. It has thick walls and nice curves with sturdy handles. I love it because when I'm cooking, I can just about stick my whole head in it to get an emmersive smell of the food.

I do love my cast iron pan, but the go-to pot in my kitchen is my round Le Creuset Dutch Oven. It's the 5 1/2 quart size, and perfect for braising, soups, and even browning and sauteeing when I want to stick to a single pot for my dish. It's easy to clean (even if the bottom is stained) and should last for many years to come.

I would be thrilled to win this wonderful set of cookware. 31 years ago my father gave me a set of Revere cookware with copper bottoms. He died from a heart attack a couple of years later. I still use this set of cookware and love it for more reasons than it's wonderful ability to cook evenly. It cleans really well, and is light weight. Also, since selling a house to Michael Chu I've learned through his website many many great recipes that I have shared with all my family members. Kuddos to Michael!